Outwork the Man Next to You - Getting to know Tyler Waguespack

He’s headed to the NFR and is the #4 steer wrestler in the world. But who is the man behind the gold buckle? Simply, his friends call him Wags

He travels across the country every year, visiting upwards of 100 places all in the name of professional rodeo. And though Tyler is passionate about his career, the lifestyle can undoubtedly be tiring. Days are filled with countless miles traveled, nights are filled with sleeping in cars, and no matter what time of the day or night it is, Tyler is always keeping his mind on the prize and the next rodeo. When asked what helps him get through the hard days, he gave credit to the comradery he has built with his fellow steer wrestlers. “Steer wrestlers… we travel in groups. We may be competing against each other but we always push each other along and keep each other going.” When we asked Tyler for a travel tip that anyone can apply to their upcoming journeys, whether it be airplane, truck, car, or van, he simply said, “If you want to be comfortable and not look like a clown… throw on Re-flex denim. Just do it.”

And while a lot of his traveling revolves around rodeoing, Tyler occasionally will do clinics for aspiring steer wrestlers. “I love talking to the kids. We always want to know their goals. We want to see what their definition of success is so we can help them get there. And I will ask even the youngest kids at the clinic that question. Because it wasn’t till I was probably a Junior in High school that someone asked me what I wanted. Everyone just assumes it is all about the gold buckle. Yes, I have always dreamed of one day being able to compete in the finals and wear a gold buckle. This is truly a blessing and a dream come true. But, it was never really what my number one goal was. Because when someone finally asked me that question I told them, ‘heroes get remembered but legends never die.’ I want to be remembered in this event, even after I am done and gone.”

Tyler went on to give us a glimpse into his childhood and what has brought him to where he is today. “Growing up I was always smaller than everyone else. The event I wanted to compete in, steer wrestling, was known as the ‘big man’s event.’ So really, the odds weren’t in my favor. But my dad always said that if you can outwork the man next to you, no matter what the odds are, you can beat them. So that’s what him and I tried to do. We just practiced, practiced, practiced. I owe so much to him.” And Tyler definitely has some things to brag about. The Louisiana native went to his first NFR in 2015 and took home the world title only a year later, clinching the honor with single-season steer wrestling record of $298,676 in earnings. And Tyler isn’t the only one with accolades. The horse he rides, Cadillac, was the AQHA-PRCA Horse of the Year for the second-time last year. “Rodeo is in my blood. No matter what I wanted to do within the sport, my dad was always there to help me learn and grow. I don’t know if he could have predicted that I would come this far but I did and I give him so much credit for that. Because every day I would come home from school to horses saddled and steers called. My friends and family are truly my biggest success in life. Because I could have all the success in the world but if they weren’t there to share it with me, it wouldn’t mean anything.”

When we asked him to elaborate further on his legacy and what he wanted to be remembered for he said, “Of course I want to be someone that has success in the arena. All of that is fine and great. But I also want to be remembered as someone who was always there to help. I know a lot of old champions that really only talk about their success in the arena. But I think it is so important to not forget about who you are outside of the arena too. I want to be able to brag about who I was when I was in there and who I was when I wasn’t.”

Fun Facts about Tyler

Favorite childhood memory: Practicing with his dad

Quote to live by: “Outwork the man next to you”

Go to dance move: The Worm

Most valuable life lesson: Hard work really can pay off

Pump up jams: In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins and Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams

Rock and Roll Denim and Panhandle Western Wear are honored to sponsor Tyler Waguespack. Rock and Roll Denim offers comfortable denim which Tyler exclusively wears and adores. Rock and Roll Denim jeans transition easily from traveling, training, and winning rodeos to hanging out in and around the trailer on a summer afternoon. Rock and Roll Denim jeans always hold up and help Tyler perform to the best of his ability. Tyler always pairs his denim with Panhandle’s button down shirts. He loves the plaid, check and other unique prints patterns Panhandle shirts offer.

To check out all of our brands go to: rockandrollcowgirl.com , rockandrolldenim.com, and panhandleww.com